Gavi's 'KO', a task for the idea of ​​Xavi's four midfielders

The FC Barcelona has had serious problems with the injuries this season. These physical setbacks have affected of way generalised to the club, but beyond all doubt, one of the most affected areas has been the centre of the field, where Xavi Hernández has not been able to have his 'magic triangle' to the complete composed by Pedri González, Frenkie of Jong and Pablo Gavi.

The last in falling has been the Andalusian midfield player, the one who will lose of six to eight months of the season after breaking the ligament crossed previous of the right knee. Further of the hit anímico that this represents, definitely is a crucial drop in the entramado sportive of the technician of Terrassa, the one who values to the player no only by his intensity in the game, but also by the solutions that contributes to sportive level, especially when the Catalan cast decides to play with four midfield players.

The 'problem' of Xavi if it bets for playing with the four means

Precisely, in spite of the injury of the '6' culé, several means have left to fall the possibility that the technician egarense, in research to change the dynamics of the team and taking advantage of the return of Frenkie of Jong, was considering to go back to use a system with four midfield players. This alternative gave him good results to the Barça the past season, but in the actuality poses some complexity to keep it along the campaign.

The FC Barcelona has seven mediocampistas in his staff, and if it decides work with a centre of the field formed by four players, and assuming that all are healthy, seems that at least three of these places would be ensured with Frenkie of Jong, Pedri González and Ilkay Gündoğan. Now, the last place could be object of debate between Oriol Romeu and Fermín López, depending of the context of the party. If it needs greater defence, could opt by the pivote of Ulldecona, whereas if it looks for more dynamism in the attack, the one of The Campillo would be one very good option.

Nevertheless, the problem to keep this strategy roots in the fact that only they would remain two natural midfield players in the staff to be used like substitutes or for rotations: Sergi Roberto and one from among Romeu and Fermín. Aunado To this, taking into account that the one of Reus is at present lesionado, the Barça only would have an available player in the bench in case to need do a change in this zone of the field.

The Barça does not have a 'profile Gavi' for suplir his absence

Independently of this, the Catalan cast could resolve the situation adapting to Raphinha, the one who also has showed skills like midfield player in spite of being a natural extreme. Also it could give him opportunity to players of the filial like Unai Hernández or Aleix Garrido so that they win greater leadership in the Barcelona dynamics. However, the most difficult of suplir would be the function of Gavi in this diagram of four midfield players.

The Andalusian, thanks to his physical deployment, allowed to Xavi Hernández range it like a species of false left extreme. It began in this position, but along the party went adapting, leaving the free left lane for the offensive projections of Alejandro Balde, while he moved to the centre to collaborate in the creation of game and preparation of connections in different zones of the field.

In defensive phase, returned to the left lane to be the first element in the incisive pressure in this side. This work was something in what it was very accustomed and results complicated to find another player in the staff culé that can exert it. It will be necessary to see which solution finds Xavi to this problem if finally it decides to bet by the four midfield players. Maybe it decide to test with Fermín or Raphinha to see if they can exert these functions for now, or maybe decide to look for in January a player that adapt to his needs in the centre of the field of the Catalan square.